Hybrid tea rose plant named &#39;Meicalanq&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Hybrid Tea rose plant is provided that commonly commences blooming early in the season and forms abundantly and substantially continuously attractive pure white very double blossoms which display a very strong fragrance. The growth habit is semi-erect, and very strong vegetation is formed. The vegetation is decorative and very dense and bears a glossy aspect on the upper surface. No particular disease problem has been observed. The plant is particularly well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in parks and gardens.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Rosa hybrida/Hybrid Tea Rose Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Meicalanq

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Hybrid Tea rose plant was created byartificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previouslyhad been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was theproduct of the cross of the ‘Typhoon’ variety (non-patented in theUnited States) and ‘Meivildo’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,895). Themale parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the ‘Meimagarmic’ variety(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,067).

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

(‘Typhoon’×‘Meivildo’)×‘Meimagarmic’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Hybrid Tea rose plant of the presentinvention:

-   -   (a) displays a semi-erect growth habit with strong vegetation,    -   (b) forms in abundance on a substantially continuous basis        attractive pure white very double blossoms which display a very        strong fragrance,    -   (c) exhibits decorative very dense glossy dark green foliage,        and    -   (d) is particularly well suited for providing attractive        ornamentation in parks and gardens.

The blooming tends to commence early in the season, during observationsto date.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be grown to advantage where attractive ornamentation is to beprovided.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. Forinstance, the blossom coloration is considerably different from that ofthe ‘Typhoon’ and ‘Meivildo’ varieties. More specifically, the ‘Typhoon’variety forms yellow blossoms and the ‘Meivildo’ variety forms neyronpink blossoms. Also, the blossoms of the ‘Meimagarmic’ variety are of adissimilar empire yellow coloration and are suffused and edged with anamaranth red flush.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and the use ofcuttings. Asexual propagation by the above-mentioned techniques at LeGannet des Maures, Var, France, has shown that the characteristics ofthe new variety are stable and are strictly transmissible by suchasexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the newvariety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘Meicalanq’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were approximately two years of age and were observedduring October while budded on Rosa froebelli understock and growingoutdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France. Dimensions in centimetersare indicated at the bottom of the photograph.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud wherein the sepals arefully open;

FIG. 4—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening;

FIG. 6—illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 7—illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 8—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 9—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 10—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12—illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 13—illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 14—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets—planview—upper surface;

FIG. 15—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets—planview—upper surface;

FIG. 16—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets—planview—upper surface; and

FIG. 17—illustrates a cluster of buds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of two-year-old plants during October which were buddedon Rosa froebelli understock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet desMaures, Var, France.

-   Class: Hybrid Tea.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—semi-erect.-   Branches:    -   -   Color.—young stems: near Green Group 138B. — adult wood:            near Green Group 138B.        -   Thorns.—on young stems: — small prickles: configuration:            with an obovate base. quantity: approximately 2 on average            on a stem length of 10 cm. length: approximately 0.2 cm on            average. color: near Greyed-Orange Group 165A. — long            prickles: configuration: with an obovate base. quantity:            approximately 15 on average on a stem length of 10 cm.            length: approximately 0.6 cm on average. color: near            Greyed-Orange Group 165A. — on adult stems: — small            prickles: configuration: commonly none present. — long            prickles: configuration: elongated and curved downwards on            the upper surface and concave on the under surface.            quantity: approximately 12 on average on a stem length of            10 cm. length: approximately 0.5 cm on average. color: near            Yellow-Green Group 148D.-   Leaves:    -   -   Stipules.—adnate, pectinate, rather broad, approximately 1.2            cm in length on average, approximately 0.7 cm in width on            average, near Yellow-Green Group 147C on the upper surface,            and near Yellow-Green Group 147B on the under surface.        -   Petioles.—upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147C in            coloration. — under surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147B in            coloration. — length: approximately 1.8 cm on average for            the terminal leaflet. — texture: slightly glandular on the            upper surface, and with small prickles on the under surface.        -   Rachis.—upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 146C in            coloration. — under surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147B in            coloration.        -   Leaflets.—number: 3, 5 and 7 (most often). — shape:            generally oval with an acuminate tip and a rounded base. —            size: the terminal leaflets commonly are approximately 7 cm            in length on average and approximately 4.6 cm in width on            average. — serration: small and single (as illustrated). —            texture: physically firm and leathery. — color (young            foliage): upper surface: near Green Group 137B. under            surface: near Green Group 139C. — color (adult foliage):            upper surface: near Green Group 139A. under surface: near            Yellow-Green Group 146B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—commonly approximately 1 blossom per            stem.        -   Peduncle.—smooth, approximately 5 to 7 cm in length on            average, approximately 0.4 cm in diameter on average, and            near Yellow-Green Group 146C in coloration.        -   Sepals.—upper surface: tomentose and near Green Group 138C            in coloration. — under surface: smooth and near Green Group            138A and 138B in coloration. — shape: longish and broad, and            somewhat upright at the base. — size: approximately 3 cm in            length on average, and approximately 1.1 cm in width at the            widest point on average.        -   Buds.—shape: substantially conical and ovoid. — size:            medium. — length: approximately 1.5 cm on average. — width:            approximately 1 cm at the widest point on average. — color            as calyx breaks: upper surface: near White Group 155A. under            surface: near White Group 155A.        -   Flower.—shape: cup-shaped. — diameter: approximately 13 to            14 cm on average. — color (in the course of opening): upper            surface: near White Group 155A. under surface: near White            Group 155A. — color (open flower): upper side: near White            Group 155A. under side: near White Group 155A. — fragrance:            very strong. — petal number: approximately 50 to 55 on            average under normal growing conditions. — petal shape: with            a substantially rounded tip and an obtuse base. — petal            texture: leathery and somewhat firm. — petal length:            approximately 3 cm on average. — petal width: approximately            1.1 cm on average. — petal arrangement: imbricated, and            without petaloids. — petal drop: good with the petals            commonly detaching cleanly before drying. — stamen number:            approximately 48 on average. — anthers: regularly arranged            around the styles, approximately 0.2 cm in size on average,            and near Yellow-Orange Group 15D in coloration. — filaments:            approximately 0.5 cm in length on average, and near Yellow            Group 11D in coloration. — pollen: near Yellow-Orange Group            16B in coloration. — pistils: approximately 73 on average. —            stigmas: approximately 0.2 cm in size on average, and near            Yellow Group 13D in coloration. — styles: approximately 0.4            cm in length on average, and near Yellow Group 11D in            coloration. — receptacle: smooth, funnel-shaped in            longitudinal section, approximately 0.6 cm in length on            average, approximately 0.5 cm in width on average at the            widest point, and near Yellow-Green Group 146C in            coloration.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—very strong.        -   Blooming.—early season, very abundant and substantially            continuous.        -   Tolerance to diseases.—good, with no particular            susceptibility to common diseases having been encountered            during observations to date.

The new ‘Meicalanq’ variety has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensityand duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

1. A new and distinct Hybrid Tea rose plant characterized by thefollowing characteristics: (a) displays a semi-erect growth habit withstrong vegetation, (b) forms in abundance on a substantially continuousbasis attractive pure white very double blossoms which display a verystrong fragrance, (c) exhibits decorative very dense glossy dark greenfoliage, and (d) is particularly well suited for providing attractiveornamentation in parks and gardens; substantially as shown anddescribed.